Roll d4 dice online with modifiers, keep highest/lowest, reroll 1s, and preset configurations. Track face frequency and review full roll history.
The 4-sided die (d4) is the smallest standard polyhedral die, shaped like a tetrahedron. It produces numbers from 1 to 4 with equal 25% probability per face. Despite its small range, the d4 is a staple of tabletop RPGs — it's the damage die for daggers, darts, and the iconic Magic Missile spell in D&D.
Our 4-Sided Dice Roller supports multiple d4s, modifiers, keep-highest/lowest mechanics, and the popular "reroll 1s" house rule used in ability score generation. Run one roll or dozens, then analyze the results with face frequency charts and a detailed reference table for common d4 expressions.
Whether you're calculating dagger damage, generating fumble results, or running a caltrops encounter, this quick tool replaces your physical d4 (which always seems to land on the pointy side facing up). Check the example with realistic values before reporting. Use the steps shown to verify rounding and units. Cross-check this output using a known reference case.
Physical d4s are notoriously difficult to read — different manufacturers put numbers at the top, bottom, or along edges, creating confusion. Our digital roller eliminates ambiguity and provides instant results with modifiers already calculated.
The frequency analysis and reference table also make this tool useful for DMs planning encounters with caltrops, spike traps, or low-level spell effects, letting you pre-roll damage or simulate hundreds of outcomes.
Each d4 gives a uniform integer 1-4. Expected value: E(d4) = (1+4)/2 = 2.5. Variance: Var(d4) = (4²−1)/12 = 1.25. For N dice: E(Nd4) = 2.5N, Var(Nd4) = 1.25N.
Result: 4d4 keep highest 3 → [1, 2, 3, 4] keep [2, 3, 4] → Total = 9
Rolling 4d4 and keeping the three highest simulates ability score generation with d4s. From rolls [1, 2, 3, 4], we drop the 1 and sum 2 + 3 + 4 = 9.
The d4 is unique among polyhedral dice in that it's a Platonic solid with the fewest faces. Its tetrahedral shape means it doesn't really "roll" like other dice — it tumbles and settles with one face down. This physical property makes it harder to randomize by hand, which is why digital rollers guarantee better uniformity.
There are two main numbering conventions for physical d4s: some have numbers at the points (read from the top vertex), while others have numbers along the base (read from the bottom edge). This causes confusion at many gaming tables.
Despite its small range of 1-4, the d4 serves critical design purposes. It represents the weakest weapons (daggers, darts, sling bullets) in D&D, making simple weapons feel mechanically distinct from martial ones. The 1d4 hit die for Sorcerers and Wizards in older editions reinforced their physical fragility.
In Savage Worlds, the d4 represents the lowest trait rating, and its relationship to the Wild Die (typically d6) creates an interesting mechanic where unskilled characters sometimes outperform their expected results.
The d4 produces the tightest distribution of any standard die. With a range of only 3 (max 4 minus min 1), results cluster near the mean of 2.5. Compare this to a d12 with range 11 or a d20 with range 19. Multiple d4s converge toward normality quickly — 3d4 already produces a reasonably bell-shaped curve peaking at 7-8.
A d4 is a tetrahedron — a four-faced solid where each face is an equilateral triangle. It's the only standard gaming die that doesn't have a top face when resting, so numbers are read from the base or apex.
D4s appear in D&D (dagger damage, Magic Missile, caltrops), Savage Worlds (lowest trait die), Dungeon Crawl Classics, and many other RPGs. They're also used in probability exercises.
With any vertex pointing straight up when at rest, a d4 is essentially a tiny caltrop. The steep angles of the tetrahedron mean there's always a sharp point facing upward.
A common house rule where if you roll a 1, you reroll that die once. This raises the expected value from 2.5 to about 2.875 per die and feels more heroic for stat generation.
Keeping the best 3 of 4d4 averages about 8.46 versus 7.5 for a straight 3d4, roughly a +1 bonus. The minimum also shifts from 3 to 3 (same), but you're much less likely to get low totals.
The average is 2.5. If a dagger deals 1d4 damage per hit, you average 2.5 damage before any modifiers are applied.